Polling commenced on a brisk note across Madurai on Thursday, with numerous voters queuing up nearly 30 minutes before the 7 am start to avoid the heat. By 11 am, approximately 17% of the electorate had cast their votes, with thousands turning out across the district.
Voters Beat the Heat
“We wanted to finish voting before the heat becomes unbearable,” said Kumar, a Kochadai resident who arrived with his 75-year-old father, V Rathinam, in a wheelchair. “Since he is under 85, we couldn’t opt for postal voting,” he added, noting that many elderly voters had turned up early for the same reason. Polling was largely smooth, barring minor initial glitches involving a few malfunctioning EVMs at some centers.
Newlyweds Cast Votes
A newlywed couple in the Thiruparankundram constituency made voting part of their wedding day. N Raja Ram and V Renuka, who tied the knot at 4:30 am at Thiruparankundram temple, cast their votes soon after. Renuka voted at Al Ameen Higher Secondary School, while Raja planned to travel to Melur to exercise his franchise. “It’s part of my democratic right,” said Renuka. Raja added, “Our wedding date was fixed before the poll announcement, but we planned the ceremony around voting time. Every vote matters.”
Cluster Polling Centers Appreciated
Voters also welcomed arrangements at cluster polling centers, where color-coded markings and maps helped them locate booths easily. “The directions on the ground and maps made navigation simple,” said Srinivasan from Madurai South. He added that security personnel and election staff were helpful. “Some of the guards from different states that did not speak Tamil fluently still made their best efforts to help us,” he said.
Turnout Reaches 67.15% by 3 pm
By 3 pm, voter turnout had reached 67.15%. Temporary shelters and drinking water facilities were provided at many centers to help voters cope with the heat. Several prominent figures exercised their franchise during the day. P Moorthy, minister for commercial taxes and registration, voted at Ayyavuthevar Xavier High School in Madurai East. RB Udayakumar, MLA for Thirumangalam, cast his vote at T Kunnathur, while Sellur K Raju, Madurai West MLA, voted at Government Meenakshi College. Former Union minister and expelled DMK leader M K Alagiri voted at TVS School. Corporation commissioner Chitra Vijayan cast her vote at American College, while the district collector voted at the Corporation Primary School within the Armed Reserve Ground.
EVMs Sealed and Transported
After polling concluded at 6 pm, EVMs were sealed and transported under tight security to strong rooms at five counting centers across the district. Counting for Melur and Madurai East will be held at TNAU (Agricultural College), for Sholavandhan and Usilampatti at Anna University, for Madurai North and South at Thiagarajar College of Engineering, for Madurai Central and West at Madura College, and for Thiruparankundram and Thirumangalam at Government Arts College.
